


Meeting

by AmbiguouslyGayBagginshield



Series: Out of Sight, Out of Mind [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Blind Bilbo, Fluffy, Humour, M/M, Mild Language, Teen AU, Tina Turner music, bit of swearing, moder AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 14:25:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1308073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmbiguouslyGayBagginshield/pseuds/AmbiguouslyGayBagginshield
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this modern teen au, Bilbo is blind and lives with Lobelia and Otho Sackville-Baggins, after the death of his parents in the car crash that claimed his sight. It's been been 7 years since the crash and a now 17 year old Bilbo spends pretty much all of his time alone, since Lobelia and Otho work away and are next to never home. He doesn't go out much, partially because he doesn't really have anywhere particular to go, but mostly because he doesn't have anyone to go out with. Not that he really minds. And so this is the norm until Lobelia and Otho hire Thorin to work on their garden as a summer job. Let's just say sparks fly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This song plays a key role in this fic, I would recommended that you listen to it before reading. ('You better be good to me' by Tina Turner)  
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyU7BbQSm98
> 
> This is the first installment of a series of firsts in Bilbo and Thorin's relationship.
> 
> (I don't own the Hobbit, or friends or 'You better be good to me' by Tina Turner. I don't own anything. All rights go to copyright holder.)

Today was Thorin’s first day of his new summer job. He had just finished his first year of university. Choosing to go to one of the two universities in Erebor, so that he could stay close to his, rather large, family. He enjoyed university, but there was a lot of work, especially for business studies. He was so thankful for the holiday, wanting to just make a fort in his bed and live there for the whole holiday.

But of course he couldn’t do this for several reasons. The first being that someone in his family would probably interrupt him and destroy the fort in the process. The second being that if he didn’t work during the holiday then he wouldn’t have any money.

He still lived at home. His mother and father paid for his university, his food etc. Thorin had to pay for his own petrol for his car and anything he wanted to buy for himself or go out and do. His parents wanted him to gain independence whilst he still lived at home and Thorin understood this. So he would work for his money.

In the summer, during A levels, Thorin had worked in an office. He had found it long and boring. Whenever he got bored he would start playing solitaire. And let’s just say he was a solitaire champion by the time he left.

So this summer he chose something a little different. He decided that he would do something more outdoorsy, in the open summer air. Thorin was quite physically fit and enjoyed jobs with physical expectations.

So the idea of gardening sort of just came to him. He had helped his mother build their garden and thought it looked quite good.

He had been hired, by a frankly awful couple, Lobelia and Otho Sackville-Baggins. They lived in the Shire just on the edge or Erebor city. It was a wealthy area, not as wealthy as the inner city, where Thorin lived, but some of the people who lived there were pretty snobby. Lobelia and Otho Sackville Baggins were definitely some of those people. They both worked away from home for long periods of time. They were hardly ever in their overly large house but they demanded that it looked immaculate for the odd weekend it was used for social gathering, every once in a blue moon.

They commissioned Thorin to put them a fountain in the centre of the garden, planting flowers around the sides of it. They also asked him to water their plants whilst he was there, offering him extra money to do so.

The couple had been very reluctant to give him a key to the house, clearly not trusting him. But somehow Thorin had managed to convince them to give him a key to the back door so that he could water the indoor plants.

Both Lobelia and Otho had left on business trips in the week before Thorin started. He had it all planned. Today he would work on the logistics of what he was going to do. He would make plans and sketches, after watering the many plants. He would also have to do the tropical section of their conservatory. It was full of beautiful exotic flowers. Thorin’s jaw had fallen to the flaw when he first saw it, much to Lobelia’s smug satisfaction.

He parked the car in front of the large house and went through the gate into the garden. He picked up the hose and started watering the plants. After about 45 minutes he had finally finished watering the outside plants.

He pulled the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. He was welcomed by loud music playing inside the house. Thorin frowned. The Sackville-Baggins had gone. And Thorin seriously doubted that that either of them liked this kind of music. Was that Tina Turner? Thorin was very glad none of his friends were here to find out that he could identify Tina Turner on the spot, he'd never live it down.

_‘A prisoner of your love,_   
_entangled in your web’_

He pushed open the door into the main house slowly.

_‘Hot whispers in the night,_   
_I`m captured by your spell,_   
_(captured)’_

He followed the music to a clean, cream-coloured kitchen. He leant against the doorway.

‘ _Oh yes I`m touched by this show of emotion’_

A boy, around Thorin’s age, was dancing in the kitchen. He pushed a bowl into the microwave, pressing several buttons. He pushed his sunglasses up his button nose. Sunglasses… indoors? Thorin was pulled from his confusion when the boy spun away from the microwave holding a wooden spoon in his hand like a microphone.

_‘Should I be fractured by your lack of devotion?,_   
_Should I?,_   
_Should I?’_

He waved his head a little, holding his hands out, as he sang along, as if he was challenging someone. Ah, so he was giving this performance a bit of sass. That explained the sunglasses. Thorin smiled. The boy would probably notice him soon so Thorin was going to enjoy this while he could.

_‘Oh you better be good to me,_   
_that`s how it`s got to be now’_

The boy ran his hand along the island, letting his head fall back, as he headed to the fridge, stopping just before the fridge with his back to Thorin.

_‘Cause I don`t have no use,_   
_for what you loosely call the truth’_

He started dancing again, moving his hips to the rhythm, running his hand up to his blonde curls.

_‘Oh you better be good to me._   
_Yes you better be good to me’_

And goddammit that arse was fantastic.

_‘And I think it`s only right,_   
_that we don`t meet at night’_

The boy spun on the spot. He actually had quite a good voice, Thorin thought to himself. He was putting a lot into it at the very least.

_‘We stand face to face,_   
_and you present your case’_

He stuck his head into the fridge still singing, his voice echoing a bit. Thorin could just hear the clattering of jars and tubs as the boy felt around fridge.

_‘And I know you keep telling me that you love me,_   
_and I really do want to believe,_   
_but did you think I`d just accept you in blind faith,_   
_Oh sure babe anything to please you.’_

He finally emerged from the fridge with a Tupperware tub filled with what looked like fruit salad.

_‘But you better be good to me’_

They boy side stepped to the island, slowly pushing it down onto the surface.

_‘That`s how it`s got to be now,_   
_cause I don`t have the time for your over loaded lines’_

The boy spun again. Now he was looking right at Thorin, but he just kept singing.

‘ _Yes you better be good to me. Yes you better be good to me’_

He then stepped into to a pose that was a very good Tina Turner impression. He was stood slightly to his side this his legs bent in a wide stance. He bobbed his head and moved his hips to the beat of the song.

_‘And I really don`t see,_   
_why it`s so hard to be,_   
_good to me’_

He stayed in the same spot, singing the hell out of that wooden spoon as though he was performing to an audience. Well, he sort of was, Thorin was just not sure if the boy realised this yet.

_‘And I don`t understand,_   
_what`s your plan, that you can`t,_   
_be good to me!’_

As the song finished he flung his arms out, belting the last few lyrics as the song faded out. He then straightened his t-shirt and turned back to the counter, as though he hadn’t just been giving a concert worthy performance.

Thorin couldn't help himself and began to clap. This made the boy jump, spinning around quickly and tripping himself up. On his way down he managed to hit his head on the side of the island, dropping the wooden spoon with a clatter. Smooth move, Thorin.

-

Bilbo woke up on the sofa. It took him a brief moment to remember the random person in his kitchen, and who was now sat at his side holding ice wrapped in a cloth just over this eyebrow. Oh his head. That was when the pain hit him. Fuck that hurt!

He began to struggle against the other man. Despite the pain in his forehead and the other boys attempts to calm him, he shuffled to the furthest end of the sofa, as far away as he could get without standing up. He was not sure that he could do standing right now.

‘Woah, woah, careful. I’ve checked you for a concussion…you don’t seem to be concussed but you should take it easy.’ Oh god that voice. Whoever this guy was, Bilbo hoped he wasn’t a robber or something, he had a gorgeous voice. It was rich and slightly gravelly, like a jar of honey that had been dropped on a driveway…ok, so he’s not that great with similes.

‘Who are you and why are you in my house?’ He questioned. Please don’t be a murderer, please don’t be a murderer, please don’t be a murderer, please don’t-

‘Your house? I was hired by the Sackville-Bagginses to build a water fountain and water the garden. Who are you?’ He replied. Was he in the wrong house? He couldn’t be. The key had worked. Bilbo relaxed a little. Thorin leant forward slowly, pressing the makeshift ice pack to Bilbo’s forehead. The younger boy started a little taking the ice from him.

‘Oh, they didn’t tell me. I’m their cousin. I’m living here until I’m old enough to get my own place. I’m guessing they didn’t tell you about me.’ Typical Lobelia. He bet she told Thorin about all her ‘perfect’ exotic plants and which rich aristocrat had gifted them to her. She probably told him everything she considered important. And that’s why she didn’t mention him.

‘Ah no.’ There was a pause. ‘I’m Thorin, by the way’ He said, holding his hand out.

‘Bilbo Baggins’ the boy replied not raising his hand from where it rested on his knee. Thorin chastised himself for forgetting that the boy couldn’t see his hand. He had noticed it as he took the boys sunglasses off to clean a little blood from his forehead. Bilbo’s eyes were pale, clouded over. It was like looking at someone’s eye through thin frosted glass. They were, in Thorin’s opinion, beautiful.

Thorin leant forward taking Bilbo’s hand and shaking it gently. Good god his skin was soft.

‘Oh sorry, I can’t see when…’ How was he going to put this? He hated telling people that he was blind, there was always an immediate change in the way people treated him after they found out. Bilbo hated it.

‘I know’ he replied quickly. ‘I saw when I took your sunglasses off’.

At this Bilbo squeaked, just now realising that he wasn’t wearing his sunglasses. Thorin could see his eyes! Bilbo blushed, putting the ice pack on the coffee table and feeling around himself frantically, looking for his shades. Things with the honey driveway voiced guy-Thorin were not going well.

‘Here’ Thorin said softly, taking one of Bilbo’s hands and pressed the sunglasses into his hand.

‘Thank you’ he replied quietly, pulling them on quickly. He hissed as the end of the shades bumped the bruise on his head. Damn it all to hell.

‘Why do you wear those? Is it a medical thing or…?’ Thorin asked pointing at his own eyes. He hoped he wasn’t over stepping, but why would anyone hide something like that?

‘Oh, people don’t like my eyes. I’ve been reliably informed that they’re creepy. They make people uncomfortable.’ He replied, tucking his leg to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. He rested his chin on his knees. At least that’s what Lobelia and Otho had told him, telling him to cover his eyes whenever they were around, usually surrounded by other snobby people who felt sympathetic towards the poor little blind boy but not enough to look at his eyes. Lobelia and Otho had been around a lot more when he was young, so Bilbo had worn them all the time. It was a habit that had just sort of stuck.

‘Well, I think they’re beautiful.’ Thorin blinked shyly. That was too much information. Quick change the subject before it gets awkward.

‘Thank you, nobody’s ever… just thanks’ Bilbo whispered, not really believing the teen but he was grateful for his efforts to boost his self-esteem.. It was a little awkward now. Neither knew what to say next. Bilbo hissed slightly closing his eyes. Jesus his head hurt, where was that ice again? As if Thorin had read his mind he spoke.

‘Here.’ Thorin said, reaching for the cloth with the slightly melted ice inside and placing on Bilbo’s forehead gently.

‘The swellings mostly gone down but this will help with the pain.’ Thorin pulled some aspirin from the first aid kit, which seemed to have been edited into a hangover kit, mostly consisting of mini bottles of gin, a small bottle of water and several boxes of aspirin, jumbled with the odd plaster.

He pushed the aspirin packet into his hand and he opened the bottle of water. It was kind of alarming the proportion of water to gin in this first aid kit. Bilbo popped two tablets out, taking the water from Thorin.

‘All this gin yours?’ Thorin asked as Bilbo swallowed the tablets, pulling a face, he hated tablets. He shook his head in response, his scowl turning to a small smile.

‘Lobelia and Otho’s,’ He replied, ‘It’s not pure gin. I water the stuff in the first aid kit down. No matter how much I disliked them I’m not going to let them give themselves alcohol poisoning.’

‘Can’t they tell? Like when they drink it?’ Thorin asked, inspecting on of the bottles, holding between his index fingers. Thorin couldn’t see any signs of tampering.

‘In the morning they’re usually so out of it they don’t notice. They haven’t noticed yet.’ Bilbo supplied, placing the water bottle in the kit and running his hand over the gin bottles, frowning as he felt nothing but the first aid kit in a space where the last bottle should be. He began to feel around the table surface.

‘Oh sorry’ Thorin exclaimed, taking Bilbo’s wrist and pushing the bottle into his palm. Bilbo thanked him under his breath as he close the first aid kit.

Quick Thorin say something cool. Charm him. How often do meet cute, unbelievably sweet boys who can not only sing but likes Tina fucking Turner, a secret guilty pleasure of Thorin’s. Right here goes.

‘I’m sorry for making you jump by the way.’ He said, leaning back against the sofa a little. Be cool.

‘You made me jump out of my skin. Is that how you get your kicks, sneaking upon blind people and almost giving them concussions? Claiming to be the gardener, then seducing them with your voice and lulling them into a false sense of security before you steal everything?’ Bilbo said teasingly. Were they flirting?

‘I don’t know, do you think my voice is seductive?’ He replied, dropping his voice a little lower to a husky purr.

At this Bilbo seemed to realise what he said, blushing. Thorin nudged him with his shoulder lightly, making him grin. Oh yeah, they were definitely flirting.

‘I was just applauding you Tina. It was quite a performance.’ Oh Jesus no! The circumstance of accquiring the bruise now forming on his forehead, came flooding back to him. Oh the wooden spoon, somebody kill him now.

Bilbo’s blush grew and he became bright red. He ran his hand over the unbruised side of his face. ‘I’d forgotten about that.’ He groaned.

‘Don’t be embarrassed. You’re a very good singer. Great Tina Turner. I think if we switched you and the real Tina Turner nobody but you, me and some plumber in Essex would notice.’

‘Now you’re making fun of me.’ Bilbo laughed. Was this guy for real? He was like someone out of a rom com. Bilbo bet he was handsome too, he sounded handsome….can you sound handsome? Bilbo decided that you could and Thorin did.

‘Only a little bit.’ He replied, gazing at Bilbo’s face. The teen was not conventionally beautiful. His button nose was unbelievably cute, in Thorin’s opinion. His round cheek stretched as he smiled a toothy smile that seemed to spread ear to ear.

Thorin let his gaze wander to his auburn curls when a clock on the wall caught his eye. He looked at the clock and blinked in surprise at how much time had passed since he came in from outside. He was behind on schedule already and it was only his first day.

‘Wow, it that really the time?! I should really get some more work done. They don’t pay me for nothing.’ He said, rising to his feet.

‘Oh, and I brought your food through from the kitchen.’ He pointed at the bowl and fruit on the coffee table. Thorin suddenly reprimanded himself, he seemed to keep doing things that Bilbo couldn’t see. He was not about to treat him differently to his other friends just because he was blind but he was not quite sure what and what not to do. Did he say ‘friend’? It was probably a bit early for that one right? But it felt right. Thorin shook these thoughts from his mind.

‘Just, uh, shout me if you need anything. Happy to help.’ Thorin nodded a little and swung his arms a little at his sides, patting his thighs. To Thorin’s surprise Bilbo scoffed at this and turned away from him.

‘What?’ What had he done wrong? Did he do something offensive? He was pretty sure he was being perfectly sweet. So much for charming the boy, he seemed to have done the opposite.

‘Thorin, as much as I appreciate your concern,’ He hissed, ‘I have been blind for the last 7 years and I have lived in this house all of that time. I don’t need your help. I don’t need a carer. Just go back to your gardening; don’t you worry about the little blind boy.’ He reached for a television remote from the coffee table and turned the television on, crossing his arms across his chest, he knew it was too good to be true.

‘I didn’t mean it like that!’ Thorin said, he really hadn’t’. Honestly he was hurt by Bilbo’s words, granted they had only know each other for a brief period of time, but Thorin had thought Bilbo might think more highly of him than that. He had thought they were getting along well, he was sure there was flirting. Maybe ‘friend’ was the wrong word to use, in his head.

‘Course you didn't.’ Bilbo said sarcastically. He clearly didn’t believe him. Bilbo felt annoyed, but he mostly felt disappointed, he had seemed so…right. That’s why we avoid other people he reminded himself. He stood, partially because he wanted a drink and partially to prove to Thorin that he could handle himself. He was about to turn away from Thorin when he was hit with a wave of dizziness.

Next thing he knew Thorin was in front of him, pushing him gently back into the chair. He sat on the coffee table in front of Bilbo, perched on the edge.

‘I meant call me if you need anything because you’ll be feeling a bit dizzy after your fall. Just sit for a while you should be ok soon.’ He said, brushing his finger near the bruise on Bilbo’s face, noting the way the boy winced.

‘Oh god, I’m so sorry.’ His hand flew to his mouth. He’d messed this up. Here Thorin was, with sweet boy with a glorious voice, and he had to go and ruin it.

‘I… it’s just people often say that sort of thing, it can been kind of insulting. I overreacted I’m sorry.’ He apologised again.

‘It’s alright.’ Thorin laughed a little as he said this, he needed Bilbo to know that he was not angry at him. He did breathe a sigh of relief, it was just a misunderstanding, he still had a chance with the younger teen.

There was a comfortable silence. The theme music for Friends suddenly came on. Both Thorin and Bilbo clapped along in unison with the theme song. They laughed together. Thorin looked over at the TV screen, a question forming in his mind.

‘You watch the tv? Do you have that audio describe thing on?’ He wasn’t sure how Bilbo would take his question, it seemed he was a bit touchy about his blindness.

‘Sometimes. If it’s something I’ve never seen before yes, but Friends for example, I loved it as a kid. I’d watched the whole box set five times before I lost my sight. I know the episodes so well I don’t really need it on.’ He smiled a little while speaking. This was kind of new, somebody asking questions about blindness in a non-condescending way, simply asking to understand. He actually found it sweet.

‘Cool. If you don’t love Friends you’re wrong.’ He chuckled, standing to leave. Bilbo nodded in agreement with a 10watt smile on his face.

‘Well, I’ve really gotta go now because if I’m not careful I’ll get sucked into watching TV with you, and as fun as that sounds, I’ll never get anything done.’ Bilbo nodded again as Thorin turned to the big glass door.

‘Would you like me to close this or leave it open? It’s a nice day.’ He mused looking out into the decently sunny British weather. ‘Open please.’ He replied. Thorin nodded leaving the door open as he headed into the garden. Bilbo bit his lip, grinning. Thorin was cute. This was one of the times that Bilbo wished he had his sight, no matter how pervy it sounded, he would have loved to watch Thorin walk away. It looked like this summer was going to be the best in several years.

A few minutes later Thorin walked back through the glass doors again and coughed awkwardly, drawing Bilbo’s attention from the TV, or more honestly he was pulled from trying to picture Thorin based on his voice.

‘I just realised I was about to do the tropical plants, so I need to go that way.’ He murmured embarrassed. Bilbo laughed, smiling at him again.

‘You always this forgetful?’ Ooh, they were back on flirting again. Oh yeah this summer was going to rock.

'Only when I'm hungry.' He shouted back as he walked away.

An hour later Bilbo brought Thorin some Jaffa Cakes and a beautiful friendship was born.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :) Comments welcome.  
> (Btw don't take tablets from a person you just met kids)


End file.
